Dighton Rock talk raises awareness of bats’ possible extinction

Bats are the only flying mammal on the planet, but they are dropping in droves due to a poorly understood disease that is believed to be caused by a white fungus. And the white nose syndrome, as it is called, could leave humans with many more disease-carrying mosquitoes to contend with.

Bats are the only flying mammal on the planet, but they are dropping in droves due to a poorly understood disease that is believed to be caused by a white fungus. And the white nose syndrome, as it is called, could leave humans with many more disease-carrying mosquitoes to contend with.

That was the message delivered during a presentation by a representative from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation at the Dighton Rock Museum on Sunday afternoon. Dozens of guests listened as DCR Interpretive Coordinator Amy Wilmot talked about the devastating toll on bats in North America caused by the white nose syndrome — with more than 5.5 million killed by the disease since it was first discovered in 2006 — and she also explained the negative impact this could have on humans.

“We are facing a mass extinction of bats in our lifetime, which is nearly unheard of, for a species to be taken down by disease and so quickly,” Wilmot said. “It’s really kind of scary.”

Spread of the disease

Wilmot said that since the disease was initially discovered in a cave in New York state — the white nose syndrome has been primarily focused in the northeastern United States — that it has spread west halfway across the country at a rapid rate. “Every month there is a new location that is being affected by this,” she said.

Wilmot said the dramatic loss of bats can lead to problems for farmers, and could result an increased mosquito populations carrying diseases that can harm humans.

“Obviously, bats are the primary predator of our night-flying insects, and there could be a huge increase in crop-eating insects,” she said. “It could cost American farmers quite a bit. ... I know that I live nearby and I worry about Eastern equine encephalitis, and West Nile virus. If there aren’t bats flying around and eating a lot of those mosquitoes, is our mosquito population — it is already huge as it is — is it going to skyrocket? What are we going to see in terms of those mosquito-borne diseases that we see right in our backyards.”

Wilmot said one bat can eat its own body weight in insects in one night. Alex Houtzager, of the Friends of Dighton Rock Museum, gave a presentation later on, and said that bats can eat up to 1,000 insects in an hour, including mosquitoes.

What people can do

“You can educate yourself and others about bats,” Wilmot said. “They are nothing to be scared of. They are an important part of our ecology. They have a very important role in North American, Massachusetts’ and Berkley’s ecosystem.”

Wilmot said that in addition to studying white nose syndrome, that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department is using captive management bats to try to preserve the species.

Page 2 of 2 -
Wilmot also suggested that people could support bats by providing them with roosting houses, which can help bats gain temporary refuge during the summer and late spring, in which to rest and raise their young when they are not hibernating in caves or mines. Wilmot also urged guests to report to DCR if they find a maternal bat colony, bats behaving oddly (such as bats flying when snow is on the ground), and also, for spelunkers, to check on bat-related restrictions and requirements for cave exploring.

After the presentation, members of the Friends of Dighton Rock demonstrated to guests how to make their own bat houses — which looks like a large birdhouse, but with an open entrance at the bottom with a grated landing space to help the bats get in, leading to narrow, stacked layers of wood. Houtzager gave tips on how to place them for the best results.

Raising awareness

Joy Titus, who traveled from Foxboro to hear the presentation, said that it was fascinating to hear so many interesting facts about bats. But Titus also said she hoped that there could be more awareness about the white nose syndrome.

“We need more of these presentations,” Titus said. “I don’t think people realize, but our health is going to decline somewhat because of all the mosquito bites. With the white nose syndrome, people are going to be wondering why more of these mosquito-borne diseases are affecting people. ... There needs to be an outcry. People don’t know the seriousness of this.”

Joanne Miller, of Berkley, said that “it’d be good to spread the word” about the white nose syndrome situation in schools. “I just hope they find a solution to it ... awareness is the most important step to addressing the problem,” she said.